Compasses



(No Model.)

" J; NEIMEYER.

'OOMPASSES.

No. 275,403. Patented Apr.10,1sss.

WWW/Lu Atlantic, in the county of Cass and State of bring them near each other by hand-pressure simply pressing upon the spring-pawl to dis- "in adjusting compasses or spacing-dividers.

' ing-dividers have been adjusted by means of an a perspective view of my improved compasses.

of myxcomplete invention.

leg at. It also has a screw'threaded section,

PATENT OFFICE.

JAcoB NEIMEYER, OF ATLANTIC, IOWA.

CO M PASS ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,403, dated April 10, 1883. I

Application filed January 8. 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JACOB NEIMEYER, of

Iowa, haveinvented an Improvement in (J0mpasses, of which the following is a specification. The object of. my invention is to save time 'Heretofore steel-spring compasses or spacarc and a screwy'but to move the legs and points far apart, or to bring them close together when distended by means of a thumbscrew, is tedious and consumes much time. To facilitate the adjustment of the legs as required, in spacing, and to save the valuable time of the artisan consumed in operating a screw, I form a ratchet-face on the edge of the arc and combine a spring-pawl with one of the legs to engage the ratchet, as hereinafterfully set forth, in such a manner that when the legs and points are spread apart I can instantly and retain them by theautomatii'z 'action of the pawl and ratchet and instantly spread them apart again into a distended position by engage it from the-ratchet.

Figure 1 of my accompanying drawings is Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view, showing the ratchet device. Together they clearly illustrate the construction, operation, and utility a. and b are the rigid legs, and c the spring, of compasses or dividers of common form.

(1 is an are that has flat sides, and is adapted to extend through a corresponding slot in the d, at one end adapted to extend through a perforation in the leg I).

f is a thumb-nut on the end of the screwthreaded portion d.

A series of ratchet-teeth is formed on the lower and convex edge of the are d.

g is an elbow-shaped pawl, pivoted to or in the leg a in such a position relative to the slot through which the arc extends that it will engage the ratchet-teeth 1 2 3.

h is a spring fixed tothe pawl or leg in such a manner that it will, in its normal position, press the pawl upon the ratchet-faced edge of the arc.

passes I simply compress the spring 0 to bring the legs and their pointed ends toward each other when distended. To move them a limited degree relative to each other, as frequently required in accurate work, I simply turn the thumb-nut on the end of the arc and ratchet. To distend the legs when close together I simply release the pawl from the ratchet and allow the spring that connects their top ends to resume its normal position.

I claim as my invention- As an improved article of manufacture, compasses composed of the legs a b, spring 0, mod d, having a ratchet on its edge, a pawl, g, and spring h, substantially as shown and described, to operate in the manner set'forth, for the purposes specified.

O. H. YOUNG.

In the practical use of my improved com- 

